I have some stuff for sale on eBay (so far 0 bids). I also am selling the same item on local Craigslist. What if I should get an offer on the item on CL, while my eBay auction gets few bids. Can I cancel my auction with few pending bids before the auction time expires?!

What are some rules there?

Thx,
James

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1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

I think you can, but I dont know the actual rules. I have seen a few auctions go "item not longer available" before they ended. But I do not recall bids.

I think that if you end before the auction ends you are okay. Once the auction ends you do enter a contract between you and the winner.

Either way, you still pay the fees.

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1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

You can generally cancel all bids and pull the auction if it's more than 24 hr from the end time. But you could also put a "buy it now" button at the Craigslist price?

I did... nobody pressed it yet... Just wondering what the rules are about cancelling the Auction on eBay without the penalty in case I need to do so.

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1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

Just something to consider: If one "goes fishing" on eBay by putting up an auction with a low minimum bid and no reserve, then one can't really know how high the bidding might have gone if one ends the auction early. For some items, all of the real action takes place in the final seconds of the auction. Of course, it could sell for a pittance, too - that's the way such auctions work.

IMHO, canceling bids and then ending an item early doesn't contribute anything positive to the eBay environment - but it's your stuff, and your business.

I never run auctions, just Fixed Price listings - and I end a listing if someone is expressing interest in the same item at another venue.

You can end your listing any time before 12 hours prior to the end even if you have bids. The system allows you to do so. You have to cancel all the bids prior to this but it is simple task. Just go to CUSTOMER support tab on the top right corner, on the search box type: How can I end my listing early? and everything is there, however the listing fee is gone You cannot claim them back.
If you are inside the 12 hours mentioned above and you have a bid on your item, you can contact the winning bidder and ask him to agree for you to cancel the transaction. As a reason you may say that the item is broken, in some cases eBay will let you claim back the listing fees.
BE AWARE that eBay NEVER, EVER need to know that you sold the item OUTSIDE the eBay or they will ban you.
I hope this will help you.

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"If women are so bloody perfect at multitasking how come they can't have a headache and sex at the same time?"
Billy Connolly

I always put in the text that the item is also for sale locally and the auction may be cancelled, although ive never had a local sale before the ebay auction ended. sometimes after but not before

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

That may be true, but that's not the reason I'm asking about this - I've never sold anything on there - ever, so I'm not looking to beat the system, but rather I'm thing to learn about 'what if' I get an offer locally and I take my eye off my auction for a little while - what are my obligations to eBay then. Sounds like I can cancel it - I may not have to cancel anything - just want to know what my options are.

My item is an intake manifold - it has a minimum of $40, hoping to get around $60 for it - if all goes well. New item costs over $140 - if you can find it. My "Buy it Now" is probably too high anyway ($95)... but I'm learning.

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1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

Your real obligations when selling on eBay are pretty limited. As an extreme case, if you were to "sell" the item on eBay - but not have the item available, having sold it elsewhere already - then you might be stuck with the Final Value Fee for the sale, depending on how things played out.

As noted, that's an extreme case; not an issue if you were to act early enough to cancel the auction (and bids, if there were any) as others have already mentioned.

Ok - thanks, I understand now.

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1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

Do as Lutz says and dont worry about a c-list guy actually coming up with a generous offer for something,
It aint happenin.